1750 ca. Spanish colonial ‘escritorio’, or writing desk, Columbia. Bone and mother of pearl inlay, hand etched sgraffito and original hand forged iron hinges. Interior has checkerboard drop front and ten compartments, each with original 18th century drawer pulls. Facade over-layed in mother of pearl with hand etched city-scapes, cathedrals, geometric patterns and foliate motifs. Interior has hand carved and gilt wood columns. Via Live Auctions ~ liveauctioneers.com
1799-1810 ca. Cotton Muslin Gown, Probably American. White cotton embroidered muslin, probably Bengal, all over sprigged broderie anglaise decoration,short sleeve with three pairs of inside ties to adjust the double-puff, ruffled edge, back tie at neckline and waist, ruched band above the slightly trained hem with scalloped sawtooth border and with cotton bodice lining. via whitakerauction.smugmug.com
These lightweight white cotton dresses were fashionable in Jane Austen’s times, but they were certainly not warm when a lady was out walking or when riding in a carriage. Numerous outer layers could be added for warmth and to brighten and personalize an outfit. These might be an overdress, pelisse or redingote, hat, shawl, gloves, or large fur muff.
The Empire dress which evolved in the late 1790s began as a chemise shift gathered under the breasts and at the neck. Named after the First Empire in France, by 1800 Empire dresses had a very low décolleté, or neckline and a short narrow backed bodice attached to a separate skirt. Skirts started directly under the bust and flowed into the classical relaxed wide styles of Greece and Rome. This style of dress is associated with Jane Austen and her contemporaries as a simple cotton high-waisted dress was worn most days and accessorized according to the importance of the occasion.
Christmas pudding originated as a 14th century porridge called ‘frumenty’ , made of beef and mutton with raisins, currants, prunes, wines and spices. Often more like soup, it was eaten as a fasting meal in preparation for Christmas festivities. By 1595, frumenty changed into a plum pudding thickened with eggs, breadcrumbs, dried fruit and flavoured with beer and spirits. It became the customary Christmas dessert around 1650, but in 1664 the Puritans banned it as a bad custom. In 1714, King George I re-established it as part of the Christmas meal, having tasted and enjoyed Plum Pudding.
“In December, the principal household duty lies in preparing for the creature comforts of those near and dear to us, so as to meet old Christmas with a happy face, a contented mind, and a full larder; and in stoning the plums, washing the currants, cutting the citron, beating the eggs, and mixing the pudding, a housewife is not unworthily greeting the genial season of all good things.” Via 1861 Beeton’s Book of Household Management.
The Sunday closest to St. Andrew’s Day was Stirring-up Sunday, and the day to prepare the family’s Christmas pudding. The eldest member of the household or a visitor would give the first stir and charms were stirred into the pudding. A ring meant a coming marriage, a button was bachelorhood, a thimble meant spinsterhood, and a sixpence was good luck. Puddings were steamed in a pudding bag and stored in a cool place until Christmas Day.
1797 Elegant Couple Dancing At A Ball. Man: Bottle green tailcoat, yellow knee breeches, white stockings, red vest and black dancing slippers. Lady: White spotted dress with a pale pink overdress open at the front, high belted waist, red and green turban and a parure, or jewelry set. via Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
18th Century Wool, Leather And Linen Front Lacing Stays. via digitalmuseum.norway
In the early 18th century, stays were basically quilted waistcoats, laced in the front and un-boned and to be worn on informal occasions. Mid century, the role of stays changed. They were then supposed to create a V shaped form and support a woman’s back, so baleen from whales was inserted into the garments and backs became longer.
Eyelet holes were stitched and staggered in spacing, so stays could be spiral laced. Stays were strapless or had straps attached in the back and tied at the front sides. Eyelet holes were stitched and staggered in spacing, so stays could be spiral laced. Later, they began to support the bust, give a fashionable conical shape, and draw shoulders back.
It was around the 1790s that the term corset started to be used as a refined name for stays. The Times of 24 June 1795 stated that: ‘corsettes about six inches long…are now the only defensive paraphernalia of our fashionable belle’.
1795-1812 ca. Lord Nelson’s Vice-Admiral Undress Coat. Blue cloth tail coat, double breasted, nine gilt buttons on each lapel., two rows gold lace each sleeve with three buttons between, three buttons below each pocket flap, two buttons on skirt pleats, narrow band of wool cloth and two eyelet holes on shoulders to attach epaulettes, fastened edge to edge with three hooks and eyes, four embroidered stars of Nelson’s orders on left, Order of the Bath, Order of St Ferdinand Merit, Order of Crescent, Order of San Joachim. This is Nelson’s Trafalgar Coat worn by Nelson (1758-1805) at Battle of Trafalgar with bullet hole on left shoulder, close to epaulette. Damage to epaulette and blood stains on tails and left sleeve. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, U.K. www.rmg.co.uk
For most of Jane Austen’s life, Britain was involved in conflicts and wars across the world. The Napoleonic Wars only ended in 1815, just two and a half years before Austen died. During her childhood, Britain was fighting the American Revolutionary War and when she was 14 years old, the French Revolution upset traditional roles of the monarchy, aristocracy and landed gentry in Britain, France and many other European countries.
1789-1790 ca. Man’s Red Riding Coat, England or France. Wool plain weave, full finish, with metallic-thread embroidery, tan breeches, black riding boots and crop. Credit: (M.2007.211.46) via Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California, USA. collections.lacma.org
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1700s Late Gentlemen’s Coats.
A fitted coat was an essential part of a gentleman’s wardrobe in the late 1800s and were generally tailored and cut to fit tightly. Therefore, gentlemen needed a valet, or some other helper, to extricate himself and his shoulders from his glove-like coat. Breeches and a waistcoat in the same fabric usually completed the 18th century’s gentleman ensemble. Coats were generally worn long at the back and had elaborate decoration down the front openings, collars, and sleeve cuffs.
